bowtie chicken caesar salad

i got this recipe from my friend meg, who got it from her sister-in-law, joslyn. it makes a ton so it's ideal for bridal/baby showers and other large gatherings. but don't count on having any leftovers.

serves 30-40

16 oz farfalle pasta, cooked per package directions
2 heads romaine lettuce, washed, spun dry, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 - 4 oz pkg slivered almonds, sugared
1 - 6 oz pkg grated parmesan cheese
1 - 6 oz pkg croutons
1 - 8 oz carton mushrooms, sliced
24 oz of your favorite caesar dressing

to sugar the almonds: in a dry skillet, add 1/2 cup sugar and almonds, turn the burner to medium. in a few minutes, the sugar will start to melt. stir to coat the almonds. when the sugar reaches a light golden color-it will happen quickly, remove from heat and spread the almonds on waxed paper to cool, then break apart. you can also follow the directions on this website: jeenaskitchen

to prepare the salad: combine all the ingredients in two+ large bowls. (it make so much, you won't be able to fit it all in one.) toss to coat everything with the dressing.

jessica's note: i'm not a fan of soggy lettuce, so i wait until just before serving to stir it in. also, i didn't bother sugaring the almonds and the salad was still awesome.